How to Use Nginx with Laravel: Setup and Configuration Guide

To use nginx with Laravel, configure an Nginx server block pointing to Laravel's public directory as the root. Set up URL rewriting with try_files to route requests through index.php, enabling Laravel's routing system.

Syntax

This is the basic Nginx server block syntax to serve a Laravel app:

• server_name: Your domain or IP address.
• root: Points to Laravel's public folder where the front controller index.php lives.
• index: Defines the default file to serve.
• location /: Handles URL rewriting to route requests to index.php.
• try_files: Checks if the requested file exists; if not, forwards to index.php.

nginx

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com;

    root /var/www/laravel_project/public;
    index index.php index.html index.htm;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string;
    }

    location ~ \.php$ {
        include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
        fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php8.1-fpm.sock;
        fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
        include fastcgi_params;
    }

    location ~ /\.ht {
        deny all;
    }
}

Example

This example shows a complete Nginx configuration for a Laravel app running on PHP 8.1 with PHP-FPM. It serves the app on example.com and properly routes all requests through Laravel's index.php.

nginx

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com;

    root /var/www/laravel_project/public;
    index index.php index.html index.htm;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string;
    }

    location ~ \.php$ {
        include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
        fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php8.1-fpm.sock;
        fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
        include fastcgi_params;
    }

    location ~ /\.ht {
        deny all;
    }
}

Output

Nginx serves the Laravel app at example.com, routing all requests through index.php, enabling Laravel's routing and controllers to handle URLs.

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when using Nginx with Laravel include:

• Setting root to the Laravel project root instead of the public folder, exposing sensitive files.
• Not configuring try_files properly, causing 404 errors on routes.
• Incorrect PHP-FPM socket or version in fastcgi_pass, leading to PHP errors.
• Missing location ~ \.php$ block, so PHP files are not processed.

Example of wrong and right try_files usage:

nginx

# Wrong: Missing try_files or incorrect root
location / {
    try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
}

# Right: Properly routes to index.php
location / {
    try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string;
}

Quick Reference

Summary tips for using Nginx with Laravel:

• Always set root to laravel_project/public.
• Use try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string; to enable Laravel routing.
• Configure PHP-FPM correctly with the right socket or TCP address.
• Protect sensitive files by denying access to hidden files like .htaccess.
• Reload Nginx after changes with sudo systemctl reload nginx.

Key Takeaways

Set Nginx root to Laravel's public directory to serve the app securely.

Use try_files to route requests through index.php for Laravel's routing to work.

Configure PHP-FPM correctly to process PHP files without errors.

Deny access to hidden files to protect sensitive data.

Reload Nginx after configuration changes to apply them.